Company sues manager for leaving without serving full 6-month notice, wins S$36,000

A former manager at an aircraft and spacecraft servicing company in Singapore was ordered to pay S$36,000 after leaving his job without completing the six-month notice period required by his employment contract. He served only two months before resigning.

The company filed a lawsuit, claiming payment for the remaining four months of the notice period. The employee argued that the company had agreed to shorten the notice period, but the court found no evidence of such an agreement.

The employee also claimed that the six-month notice period was unreasonable. However, the judge ruled that the contract was valid because it allowed either the employer or the employee to shorten the notice period by paying salary instead.

Another argument was that the employee had completed his handover before leaving, so the company did not suffer any loss. The judge rejected this argument, explaining that the case was about fulfilling a contractual obligation, not proving financial damages.

The court ruled in favor of the company and ordered the former employee to pay S$36,000 plus interest. The judge also noted that Singapore's Employment Act supports compensation for employees who fail to serve their required notice period.

Edited using generative AI tools. 
Source : https://www.channelnewsasia.com/singapore/company-sue-manager-quit-6-month-notice-6282136

Comprehension

Why did the company sue the former employee?
How much money was the employee ordered to pay?
Why did the court reject the employee's claim that the notice period was unreasonable?
What did the employee argue about his handover?
What was the court's final decision?

Discussion

Do you think a six-month notice period is reasonable? Why or why not?
Should employees always complete their notice period before leaving a job? Explain.
Have you ever signed a contract without reading all the terms? What happened?
Why is it important for both employers and employees to follow contracts?
If you wanted to leave your job early, what would you do?
Should companies be flexible when employees resign? Why?
What should be included in a fair employment contract?
Have you ever disagreed with work? How was it resolved?

Vocabulary

Manager – a person who is responsible for supervising people or a business.
Contract – a legal agreement between two or more people.
Notice period – the amount of time an employee must work after resigning before leaving the job.
Resign – to leave a job voluntarily.
Obligation – something you are required to do.
Breach – to break a law, rule, or agreement.
Compensation – money paid to someone for a loss or because of an agreement.
Judgment – the official decision made by a court.